Window construction



March 15, 1966 S. E. PERSSON WINDOW CONSTRUCTION Filed July 15, 1963 FIG 3 FIG? .Sven-Er/b Persson INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,240,298 WINDOW CONSTRUCTION Sven Eric Persson, 1676 Commerce Drive, Stow, Ohio Filed July 15, 1963, Ser. No. 294,940 1 Claim. (Cl. 18976) The present invention relates to frame structures for window sash, doors and window and door frames and more particularly to corner constructions for window sash, doors and window and door frames, especially when made of extruded or formed metal sections. 1

In windows which are pivoted about an axis, and particularly, windows that are of very large size or carry the weight of more than one pane of glass, the connections between adjacent parts such as the stiles and rails of the windows are very important as such windows are subjected to considerable loads. The corner connection must also be constructed so that it will be tight under many conditions. It is important that the cost of producing a strong corner connection be as low as possible. This invention makes it possible to provide a strong corner connection between the parts of a window at a relatively low cost.

In accordance with the present invention, screw receiving openings or slots are provided in the horizontal as well as the vertical members of the window and the corner connection is accomplished by one or more vertical screws and one or more horizontal screws passing through one member and engaging the screw openings or slots in the other member. By having screws passing through both adjacent members and anchored in the other member, a very tight and rigid cross-connected corner construction is obtained, with the load on the corner equally distributed and without the strength of the corner depending alone on the holding power of the threads of the screws in the screw receiving slots or openings.

An object of this invention is to provide a corner construction of a window or door structure which is rigid, strong, enduring and economical.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a corner connection or construction of a window or door equally distributes the load thereat.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a corner connection or construction of a window or door structure which will be maintained tight and effective under all conditions. 7

An additional object of the present invention is to make a corner construction or connection that will take both vertical and horizontal loads.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a connection between adjacent extruded or formed metal bar members at the corner of a sash, window or door frame wherein screws pass through one member and are threadedly anchored in an opening, passage or seat provided in the adjacent member.

These and other objects of the present invention as well as advantages to be gained thereby will appear from the following description of the invention together with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary outside elevational view of the outer member of a window sash embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on the lines IIII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the opposite side of the outer sash member; and

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of the outer window sash member.

The present invention is directed principally to windows and similar structures wherein the frames are 3,243,298 Patented Mar. 15, 1966 1963. Similar types of window structures are shown in US. Patents 2,694,841, 2,838,109, 2,845,116- and 2,975,492.

As shown in the drawings, the sash member 1 comprises a U-shaped frame 2 formed of an extruded bar 3 having the cross section shown in the lower portion of FIG. 2 and comprised of three integral frame members two of which are spaced apart and parallel to each other and the third of which integrally connects the corresponding ends of the first two. Bar 3 has a body or web portion 4 which as shown more clearly in FIG. 2. has an inwardly projecting outer flange 5 at the outer edge thereof and an inwardly projecting flange 6 intermediate the edges of web portion 4. These flanges 5 and 6 cooperate to provide between them a glass receiving chan nel. The confronting side surfaces of flanges 5 and 6 are serrateda's shown at 7 to facilitate glazing.

At the outer edge of Web 4 there is also an outwardly projecting peripheral flange 8 which carries at its outermost extremity a transverse flange 9 imparting to flange 8 a somewhat inverted T-shaped cross section.

Flanges 8 and 10 serve to impart rigidity to the bar 3 and the U-shaped sash member.

Intermediate the flanges 8 and 10 there is provided a pair of curved flanges or flange means 12 and 13 which cooperate to form an open slot 14 between them. Slot 14 is shown as being substantially circular in cross section and of a diameter greater than the distance between the ends of flanges 12 and 13. In addition to flanges 12 and 13 imparting rigidity to bar 3, slot 14 provided between them has a very important function according to the present invention which is to threadedly receive first screw-fastener means in the form of screws 15 in the opposite ends of slot 14 at the ends of bar 3.

Preferably the slot 14 is unthreaded and the screws 15 are of the so-called self-tapping type but if desired the slot 14 at the ends of the bar 3 which is to receive a screw may be tapped and a machine screw may be threaded in the tapped slot.

While as indicated the slot 14 is preferably formed of circular cross section, in many instances the slot may be of rectangular cross section and still serve as a screw receiving slot in accordance with the present invention. Actually, the slot 14 may be of elliptical, triangular or of any other desired cross section. Preferably the extremity or extremities of the flange means 12 and 13 are spaced apart a distance less than the diameter of the screw.

At its upper portion, sash member 1 carries an upper rail or fourth frame member 16 which is in the form of an extruded bar 17 having an upper web 18 forming a top cover member and a depending outer panel member or first flange 19. While web 18 and panel member 19 lie at about with respect to each other the upper surface of web 18 is slightly inclined outwardly of the sash member to shed water. At its inner edge web 18 carries an upstanding second flange 20 that extends from web 18 in a direction opposite first flange 19 and is adapted to prevent the entry of rain and snow past the top of the outer sash member. Second flange 20 extends endwise beyond first flange 19 along both endwise extended portions of web 18.

The lower edge of the outer panel member 19 has a channel member 21 formed integral therewith. This channel member has a web 2-2 and depending spaced flanges 23. It will be noted that the opposed inner surfaces of flanges 23 are serrated for glazing purposes.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided on the rear of panel member 19, flange means in the shape of a curved flange 24 forming an open slot 25 of circular cross section. While the slot 25 is open at the top, it can also be formed of two flanges as is slot 14. Slot 24 is provided to receive second screw-fastener means in the form of screws 26 which can be of the self-tapping type or the slot 25 can be threaded to receive machine screws.

In assembling the top rail 16 on the upper ends of the arms of the U-shaped sash frame, the panel member is cut or made of a length to fit between the two parallel frame members which are the arms of the U-shaped frame and the web 18 is cut or made of a length to overlap the upper ends of the arms of the U-shaped frame member. Web 18 is provided with openings to register with the slots 14 and through which the screws 15 extend. The web portions 4 of the arms of the U-shaped sash frame are also provided with openings in register with the slot 24 through which screws 26 pass.

When properly assembled, channel 21 of rail 17 is aligned with the channel formed between flanges 7 to provide a seat for a pane 27 of glass or other transparent, translucent or opaque material.

Actually the pane or panel 27 is inserted in the channel formed between the flanges 7 of the U-shaped sashframe member and the top rail 16 is then positioned and secured in place. A cushion 28 is interposed between the bottom of the channel and the pane.27 received in the channel.

By having the screws 15 and 26 of the sash frame arranged at right angles to each other and threaded. into slots at right angles to each other, the stresses on'the screws. tending to separate the parts of the frames will be in shear transversely of the screws as well as in shear on the threads longitudinally of the screws and tensile on the screws. This gives a cross-fastening effect which provides high strength and rigidity.

After or during assembling a suitable sealing material is used in the joints between the parts of each frame.

The sash frame and corner construction herein described is particularly useful when embodied in window sashes of the type herein described which carry heavy glass panes and Venetian blinds with their associated mechanisms. Moreover, the corner construction provides for ease of assembly of the sash frames and the glazing and replacement of broken panels.

The present invention has been described with reference to frames of U-shape having integral side and bottom portions and thereby formed from a single piece of material with a separate top rail so as to require only two corner connections. This particular structure, when assembled and secured by the corner connections provides tight, rigid, strong, enduring and economical frames.

. However, even when the top and bottom rails and the stiles are individual pieces of material so that four corner connections are necessary, the corner construction 4 of this invention provides a strong, rigid and economical frame much superior to those heretofore provided.

The corner construction of the present invention can equally be used in a door or in a frame in which a window or door is mounted.

While the present invention has been described with reference to the figures of the drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific structures and embodiments illustrated and described herein but is to be considered with regard to the appended claim.

Having described my invention, I claim:

A metal frame structure for a closure, comprising a U-shaped frame comprised of three integral frame members two of which are spaced apart and parallel to each other and the third of which integrally connects the corresponding ends of the first two, a fourth member having end portions overlapping the free ends of the U-shaped frame, said fourth member having a solid web' disposed in a plane transverse to the plane of the frame members and a first flange disposed in a plane generally parallel to the plane of the frame members, the solid web of the fourth member extending endwise beyond the first flange of the fourth member at both ends of the .fourth member, the ends of said two frame members adjacent the fourth frame member being abutted against the portions of the web of the fourth frame member that extend endwise beyond the first flange of the, fourth frame member on the same side of said portions of the web of the fourth frame member as the first flange of the fourth frame member, flange means extending full length of and about the U-shaped frame, said flange means defining a continuous slot that extends full length of and about the U-shaped frame, first screw-fastener means passing through the portions of the web of the fourth frame member that extend endwise beyond the first flange of the fourth frame member and being screw-threadedly received in opposite ends of said continuous slot, the first flange of the fourth frame member being abutted at both ends against said two frame members adjacent said first screw-fastener means, second screw-fastener means passing through said two frame members and being in screw-threaded engagement with the ends of the first flange of the fourth frame member that are abutted against two frame members, and a second flange on said fourth member extending from said fourth member in a direction opposite said first flange and extending endwise beyond said first flange along both endwise extended portions of said web.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,443,578 1/1923 Kline 20--92 2,736,403 2/1956 Gwynne 189-76 2,838,109 6/1958 Persson --107 JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Primary Examiner.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, CHARLES E. OCON:

NELL, Examiners. 

